The invention relates to apparatus for handling flowable material, and to a system incorporating same.
Containers such as bulk storage vessels, silos, hoppers and the like are often used for handling and storing flowable material such as powder or like particulate material, though the material could be a liquid, slurry or similar.
Such material is often required to be transferred from the container through an outlet thereof to a receptacle such as an intermediate bulk container (I.B.C.), for further handling. Where the material can contaminate the surrounding environment as well as the container and receptacles themselves, complicated, and thus expensive, equipment has to be utilized in removing a closure or lid of a charging aperture of the receptacle. Even where contamination is not of such import, it is still a time-consuming process to ensure correct opening (and replacing) of the lid